भूमिरन्तरिक्षं द्यौरित्यष्टावक्षराण्यष्टा-क्षरँ ह वा एकं गायत्र्यै पदमेतदु हैवा-स्या एतत्स यावदेषु त्रिषु लोकेषु तावद्धजयति योऽस्या एतदेवं पदं वेद ॥ १ ॥
In plain words
Earth, the space between, and the sky — say these three words together and you have exactly eight syllables. That eight-syllabled phrase is one whole foot of the Gāyatrī, hers alone. Know this one foot of hers, and you win everything there is to win across these three worlds.
Close to the Sanskrit
'Earth, mid-space, sky' — these are eight syllables; the eight-syllabled is indeed one foot of Gāyatrī. This, indeed, is hers. As much as there is in these three worlds, that much, indeed, does he win who thus knows this foot of hers.